Premier League outfit Aston Villa want Jerry St Juste with the Bundesliga speed-machine expected to leaving Mainz 05 in the summer transfer window, as reported by Jornal de Noticias.
Germany’s top flight is certainly not lacking when it comes to players boasting a turn of pace that could singe even Cara Delevingne’s eyebrows.
But even Alphonso Davies, Leroy Sane and Erling Haaland would struggle to keep up with St Juste when he gets going.
The former Netherlands U21 international was clocked as the fastest player in the Bundesliga last season. His top speed – around 22 miles per hour – puts St Juste level with Aston Villa’s own rocket-heeled roadrunner, Ollie Watkins (ESPN).
Speed is not exactly in such supply at the other end of the pitch, however. Tyrone Mings, Calum Chambers and Kortney Hause are hardly renowned for their turn of pace, after all, so St Juste would give Steven Gerrard a different dimension at the back, perhaps freeing up the Aston Villa boss to try out a higher, more aggressive defensive line.
Aston Villa want St Juste
According to reports, Aston Villa are the latest Premier League club to express an interest in the former Feyernoord man. West Ham United, Newcastle and Leicester City are also keen.
Portuguese champions Sporting Lisbon have held talks regarding a potential £8 million deal. But, according to BILD, St Juste is waiting to see if alternative offers arrive. It is understood that he is more than receptive to Premier League interest.
Bo Svensson, the latest highly-rated head coach to take charge at coupon-busting Mainz, has already admitted that St Juste and centre-back partner Moussa Niakhate could leave with just one year left on their respective contracts.
“They might both go. To think that both will stay is very optimistic,” admits Svensson, a fitting successor to Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel.
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“Everyone sees the quality they both have. They are at their best footballing age. They still have a year left on their contracts. You don’t go into the last year of a contract with players like that without them either extending or going somewhere else.”
St Juste will cost around £10 million.
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